Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Too much poker = too little everything else

I have not played much poker in the past week because I have a back log of other things to do. I want to get all of these other tasks done before my next trip to Vegas, which is in 8 days. This should be an interesting trip. A few hundred of us Coloradans are heading out and playing in some poker tournaments, some of which are set up just for us. 130 of us are flying out on a chartered flight.

We land at 4:30pm and our first tournament is at 6:00pm. I can see everyone's game being a little off after all of the traveling and scrambling around. This tournament is only for about 170 qualifying players, and is free except for an optional $50 addon. We start with 2500 in chips and can addon 2000. The blinds starts at 25/50 with 20 minute increases. This should be a fast pace luck-fest in my opinion. I do not like these fast blinds, but for the cost and the cash prizes, I can't complain much. The prize pool is $10,000.

The main event starts the next day and continues the following day. This is a $500 buyin with a $50 addon and is open to all amateurs. This time we start with 5000 chips and can addon 2000 more. We will start at 25/50 blinds and will increase every 40 minutes. This is better, as skill will be more of a factor. Play starts at 6pm and stops at 2am. We continue the next day at noon until we finish. Everyone that makes the final table gets a key. One of the keys starts up a new Harley. This would be a sweet prize. First place wins $75,000 plus a seat in the WSOP main event. Second place wins $10,000 and a satellite seat into the WSOP main event. This, to me, is a huge imbalance. Oh well, I won't complain much if I win $10,000. I definitely won't complain if I take first. The top 30 places pay, but 21-30 only get $500, so if you added on for $50, you are still losing.

The last day, May 6, we have our Battle-of-the-Sexes. We each get 2000 in chips for $100 buyin with an optional 2000 chip addon for $25. If we register for this event at the same time as the main event, we get an extra 2000 in chips. Duh, who is not going to do that? We play men vs men and ladies vs ladies until each sex is down to 5 players. The the final 10 each start off with 4000 in chips at the final table and battle to see which sex is a better poker player (or luckier poker player depending on the blind structure).

We return back home late that night, hopefully with our pockets full of cash. I probably wont get much other poker in, as I am bringing a lady friend with me, and will probably be spending my free time with her. I am feeling good about my game. My only worry is that I do not get tired, bored, or frustrated. Otherwise, I think I can bust some fools, make the final table, and bump up my bankroll for more poker events.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Saturday Night's PLO8 live cash game

We started out with 10 people at Manny's, a guy I met playing poker at the local bar. The game was $1-$2 Pot-Limit Omaha High Low. This was my favorite game a year ago, but after playing so much PLO lately, it has dropped off my radar. Luckily it did not long to get back in the saddle. Everyone cashed in for $100, but money on the table played, so some of the players put cash under their chips. I did not to start off, but after an hour of dead cards and blinds eating away at me, I slipped a $100 bill under my chips. Down about $50 after 1.5 to 2 hours, I started getting cards. I slowly built my chip stack, and by the end of the night, I was $350 ahead. There was one hand played where over $1400 was in the middle. This was chopped between Scooter, who is one of the dealers at the bar game, and Chuck, another player I met at the bar game. Scooter was up nearly $750 after this hand, and ended the night up about $450. Chuck was down about $350. Manny, the host was down a little, and Jamie, a younger player from the bar game, won about $250. Frank, the older guy I just met at the game, and who called almost every raise, lost, as well as the other players that came, lost, and left early. It was fun night of poker, jokes, food and drink. I am looking forward to next month's game.

12 hours and still feeling the pain

Yesterday I played in the monthly APL Pot-limit Omaha tournament. We started at noon with 290 players after a 45 minute drive up to some town called Ft. Lupton in the boonies. The first hand, the dealer dealt quad queens. The next hand, my flopped straight was cracked on the river by a chasing flusher. A few hands later another quads was dealt, this time kings. I slowly built my chip stack back up to where I started ($4000) when I got moved to a different table. At this new table, I had a long streak of dead cards, followed by a few bad beats. I got all the way down to $1400 with the blinds at $100-$200. I picked my moment, and I doubled up. The on the next hand, I doubled up again. Two hands later I win a nice pot. I go to the lunch break with over $10,000.

After lunch, I continue the run, busting out players and winning nice pots. Next thing I know, they announce that there are 29 players left. Since this is a free tournament (you had to qualify), they only paid the top three spots. The top ten spots won entry into next month's tournament. I kept up the smart playing when we were down to 19 players and I was being moved again. I went to my new table with $72,000 in chips, bu the blinds were up to $2000-$4000. There was a lady at this table with $380,000. She played every hand, and only folded pre-flop if their was a raise. She started knocking players out left and right, and before long, we were down to 10 players and up to $5000-$10000 blinds.

I was at $70,000 when we went to the final table. Two players at the table only had $10,000 in chips, just enough to post the big blind. I was 6th in chips. Everyone started off very tight. Few saw the flop, and most folded when there was a post-flop bet. I worked my way up to $110,000 in chips when the first player was knocked out. She was one of the players who started the final table with $10,000. Then another player got knocked out. The other player who started the final table with $10,000, Matt, was up to $50,000. Soon afterwards, Matt was well over $100,000 in chips. Then the painful hand happened.

I was dealt 9TJQ rainbow in the big blind. There were three limpers and the small blind. I checked and the flop came TT5 with two spades. The limper bet the pot, $50,000. This was almost half of my chips. I went through the possible hands he could have. 55 beat me, but I had ten outs. T5 beat me, but I had nine outs. TA and TK also beat me, but I had nine outs, minus his outs. Just a 5 and I was way ahead, and any other T besides TQ and I was way ahead. I knew I needed to make the final three to cash, and the blinds were getting close to moving up to $10,000 - $20,000, so I decided to chance it and play. The only decision was, call or go all-in. Calling would leave me with too little chips to play with, and I felt that this was the hand to gamble them on. I reraise allin, and he slowly called. He showed 789T rainbow. I was way ahead. He needed a 7 or 8 to suck out, and the 9 to tie. Anything else and I win the pot and move up to around second in chips. The turn was a 3, and the river was his 8. I busted out in 8th place. I hate losing with the better hand. I hate played seven and a half hours of perfect play only to get a bad beat to knock me out of the money.

I stayed around to watch some of the action and to cool off from my beat. My friend Cheyenne was still in it, so I was rooting for her to win. The big stack was donking off chips and was now down to a little over $200k. Then this hand happened. Chip leader limped, small stack limped, Matt called from the small blind, and Cheyenne checked from the big blind. After the flop (all I remember was two spades, no pairs), Matt checked, Cheyenne checked, chip leader checked, small stack moved allin. Matt called, Cheyenne folded, big stack called. The turn brought a blank and Matt and the chip leader checked the dry pot. The turn brought a third spade to the board. Matt checked, the chip leader bet into the dry pot, and Matt reraised her allin. She called and Matt showed the nuts with the ace high flush. The chip leader was no longer the chip leader and was severely crippled. Matt had a huge stack. Amazing since he started the final table with only enough to post the big blind.

I decided to leave and did not ge to see how thing finished, but am looking forward to Thursday when I see some people that can tell me what happened. At least I qualified for next month's tournament, and can get a chance at revenge.

Later, I will post about my Saturday night PLO8 $1-$2 game I played which included a hand that had a $1400 pot.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

No Poker

I did not get to play any poker yesterday, but I did get to play poke-her. I was a little bummed I missed the mookie yet again, but the happy ending last night made it worth it. Also, I met a hot young waitress yesterday at lunch and she invited me to the bar last night. After my first date, I met up with her. She was drunk and very flirtation. Needless to say, I am a little tired and hung over today.

Tonight I hope to play in the APT tournament at the local bar, but snow is in the forcast, so we will see. Also, tomorrow is the monthly cash tournament, so the weather will be a determining factor on if I miss that game two months in a row. New tires tomorrow morning might help that. We shall see. If we get a lot of snow, online poker, and finishing my taxes, will be the plan.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

MATH Recap

I played in my first MATH tournament last night, and all did not go so well. I started at a table where I did not know anyone. The chit-chat was quiet. The play was tight.



I also started tight but used this as an opportunity to steal. I make a successful blind steal in the first 10 hands, and again in the second 10 hands, and again in the third 10 hands. Not once did I get a decent starting hand, and not once did the flop hit me, but my bets and raises won the pot, and my bankroll was slowly growing. On hand 35, I was one off the button when everyone folded to me. Perfect steal op again. I raise with Q9o. Fold, fold, reraise. Reraise? Uh-oh. But it was a minimum raise, so I called, putting him on AK or AQs. The flop was 93J rainbow. I felt my middle pair was good and bet out after he checked. He called. Another J on the turn and I bet out again after his check. He called. After this second check-call, I put him on a jack or TQ. A jack was crushing me, but if he was on a straight draw, I was still ahead. The river brought another 9. I had a boat, but he could have a bigger boat if he held the jack. He checked again, and I was a little suspicious, so I checked also. He showed A7s and I won the hand.


I had a decent stack when I made a big mistake. I was kicking myself after this next hand. We were 7 handed and I was dealt ducks UTG. I limp hoping to see a cheap flop, which I was able to do. The flop comes T2T, giving me a beautiful boat. The blinds check, I check, hoping the next card gives one of them something. The turn was an 8, suited with one of the tens. The SB bet, and I was happy. The BB folded, and I only call, hoping for a bigger bet on the river, and a raise by me to capitalize on my nice hand. Unfortunately, another 8 came on the river. Anthing but a ten or an eight and I was golden. This card stung, and before I knew it, the SB bet big. I thought for a while, and then some more, trying to find a way to call, but I knew me boat was beaten by a bigger boat, and I laid down the hand. At least I didn't lose much, but man, did this hand suck. I am not sure if I would have played this hand any different if it happened again, but I need to analyze it some more before I stick to that conclusion.


The hand I went out on was ugly as well, but at least I lost with the worst hand when I moved allin. I had 56o in the BB and everyone folded to the SB who limped. The flop came K56. I thought my two pair was the best hand and raised his bet. He reraised me and I had enough chips to reraise allin or fold. I put him on a K, so I went allin. He called and showed his K and his 5. Ugh, a higher two pair. There were no sixes on the turn or river, and I was knocked out of my first MATH tournament.


Thinking back on the last hand, I probably should have folded after he reraised me. These were not donk FT players. These were bloggers and I should have given a little more respect to his reraise. Oh well. Next time.

Tournament Results

Last week I managed to play in a quick online tournament. Since I was sick, I knew I may not be able to play very long, so I found a HORSE SNG that was close to filling up. I played smart and aggressive in the games I am good at (Omaha, Holdem, Stud) and played smart and cautious in the games I need work in (Razz, Stud 8). I won the single table SNG wish relative ease. I wish there was more live HORSE tournaments with buyins I can afford.


In my last post, I mentioned that I played in the Railbird freeroll on Sunday. Here is a recap of how it went. We started of with 867 players with the top 81 places paying. When we got into the money, I opened up the payout page, and noticed that everyone who places higher than 10th place earns less than one dollar. That would be a waste of my time, even though I get good experience from these MTTs. My goal was to make the top 10 places.

When we got down to 25 players, I was second in chips, but way behind first place who had more than double my stack.


Not too long after, I knocked out a smaller stack and had increased my stack to over 100k. Unfortunately, jmopga had about 80k more than me, but at least I had pulled away from third place.


Everything was going well. I was playing smart. Didn't take any unnecessary risks. No bad beats (oops, did I say that? Doh!) until this hand. We had 6 players at my table and I was in the BB. Everyone folded to the SB who raised. I had QsKs and since this could easily be a steal attempt, and I had a good hand 6-handed, I reraised. SB called and the flop came 4sKc3c. SB checked this flop and I led out with a 3/4 pot size bet. SB called. Hmm, flush draw? Middle pocket pair? A3? A4? I thought he could have any of these hands. Hell, maybe even 56 or 25. I could not put him on any specific hand, but I thought these were his possibilities. The turn brought a 7h. The only hand that had me nervous was 56, but out of all the possible hands he could have, I put a 12% chance that he had 56. He checked again and led out with another feeler bet of 3/4 pot size bet. He called again. It really felt like he was chasing, so I put him on a flush draw, with a possible inside straight draw as well, so maybe Ac4c. The river brought a 5h. No flush and only one of the possible hands I put him on would beat me. I bet 1/4 pot which put him all in and he called. He showed a 6h7s for a straight on the river. HOLY CRAP! He chased an inside straight draw to the river for almost all of his chips! How did this guy get make it this far with over 800 players?


I accepted the loss and didn't let it effect my play. My stack was hurting, but I kept playing smart, and I finally made the final table, and my goal. Mr 67 offsuit (vlkn06) still was in it, and still had most of my chips he donked off of me.


When we got down to 6 players, I was dealt 7sTs in the SB. Everyone folded to me and I raised 3x the BB to semi-bluff steal the blinds. The BB called. The flop came 2dTd3d. I had top pair, but with three diamonds on the board, there was a possible flush. I was low on chips and needed to double up and with top pair, I was feeling pretty good about this hand. I went allin which was a little less than the size of the pot and the SB called. He showed 3s9d for middle pair and a flush draw. The turn brought a 9s giving him two pair and the river was a blank knocking me out in 6th place.


Mr donk went out next followed by Mr. Lucky (jmopga - the guy who hit his two pair on the river to knock me out). Here is how the rest finished.

I am very happy with 6th place out of a field of 867. If I could do this in a live tournament for big cash, I could bank some sweet coin. My next big live tournament is in May, so lets hope I can play in a similar fashion and make the final table.

Monday, April 09, 2007

103 fever is worse than getting beat with a 1 outer

I have not posted is a while, mostly because I was knocking on death's door. I went four days without eating or sleeping. It was miserable. It has been two weeks now, and I still have symptoms. I think I caught this at the poker tournament I played at two weeks ago. Anyway, on days that I was feeling a little better, I would drug it up, and try to play a little poker.

Last Sunday I played in a large Holdem tournament which was awarding a trip to Las Vegas and entry fee to a $500 tournament. I didn't make it too far, but played in the secondary tournament which was Omaha. We stopped playing when we got down to 3 players, since the top 3 players all won entry into the monthly $5000 tournament. This is my second certificate I won for the month in Omaha, so I will start the monthly tournament with an extra $1000 chips.

Last Wednesday, I played in another Holdem tournament, and took first, winning my first entry into the monthly Holdem tournament. I was Mr Patience until I got a nice run of cards late in the tournament. Then I became Mr Bully. I pretended to still be on my run of cards, and everyone believed me.

I played in another Holdem tournament on Friday, but lost all my chips sending me to the Omaha tournament when I was dealt AT and the flop came A82. I got all my chips in against a guy who slow played AA. I played solid PLO, and managed to win another cert, which will give me another $1000 at the monthly. I am getting fairly good at PLO, but know that things can be quite different when I play more with people who know what they are doing.

Last night I played in the Railbird freeroll on Full Tilt. There were close to 800 players, and I came in 6th place. I will go into more details about this tournament in another entry.

This looks like a busy week for me. Finish my federal taxes tonight, dinner date tomorrow, movie date Wednesday, poker on Thursday, pool league on Friday, Omaha Hi Lo game on Saturday after I finish my state taxes, PLO tournament on Sunday.